My gaze is locked on the sidewalk, arms crossed, head down, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. The BK&C building looms behind me, getting smaller with every step.
I’m still seething with anger, even as the cool, early evening air tries to take the edge off.
I don’t even know where I’m going. My phone’s in my purse, but I’m too rattled to dig for it, too wound up to think straight. All I know is I need to get as far away as possible from that building and Dante.
I finally stop at an intersection about a block away. My hand drifts to my stomach. It’s almost instinct at this point.
‘Eva.’
I startle at the sound of my name, spinning around to see Dante’s limo pulling up to the curb. The tinted window rolls down, the dim glow from inside casting sharp shadows on his face, nothing but concern in his eyes.
I hesitate, my first instinct telling me to keep walking. But my feet stay rooted in place.
“Get in,” Dante says quietly. “Please.”
The last word gives me pause. He doesn’t say it often.
I sigh, my shoulders sagging as I glance back at the office building. Going back is out of the question, but walking around aimlessly isn’t exactly a solid plan, either.
Finally, I step off the curb. The driver opens the door, and I slide into the seat across from Dante, the soft leather warm and cozy.
Neither of us speaks at first. The driver reenters the car, the hum of the engine filling the silence between us. I keep my hands clasped in my lap, staring at them like they hold some kind of answer.
“I get why you ran,” he says after a beat. “I put you on the spot, and that was never my intention. But I couldn’t pretend anymore, Eva. I had to know the truth.”
I press myself against the seat, as if hoping it will swallow me whole and take me away from this. My pulse is still racing from everything that just happened—his accusations, my confession, the life-changing revelations.
“You didn’t just put me on the spot, Dante. You backed me into a damn corner.”
His jaw tenses and he looks away, rubbing a hand over his face. “I know I did. But I wanted to hear it from you.”
I shake my head, staring out the window. “You dug into my background. You went behind my back.”
“You were never going to tell me, though I asked you about your past several times,” he counters, voice edged with frustration. “And don’t act like I didn’t have a right to know.” He leans forward, elbows on his knees, gaze pinning me in place. “You’re Eva Petrova. And now, you’re carrying my child.”
I flinch. “I didn’t plan this,” I whisper. “I didn’t want it to happen this way.”
His eyes darken. “Yet here we are.”
A lump lodges in my throat. “I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure what to do. I was scared. And because…”
“Because what?”
I let out a shaky breath. “Because I don’t know if I can be part of your world. I grew up in this life. I’ve been running from it for almost a decade. I don’t think I can raise a child like that.”
“You don’t have to decide everything tonight. But you’re not doing this alone, Eva.”
I scoff, not sure if I’m mad at him or just mad at the universe. “I’ve been doing everything alone for years.”
“I know,” he says, quieter this time. “And I’m telling you, you don’t have to anymore.”
The sincerity in his voice fills me with warmth. I’m not sure if it’s the hormones or just the weight of everything coming down on me at once, but my throat tightens, and I have to look away before I completely lose it.
“Let’s drive around for a bit,” he says, his voice gentler. “So we can talk.”
I swallow hard. “Okay.”
“Please, just drive, anywhere,” he says to the driver who nods before Dante presses a button, the partition sliding up and sealing us off.
Talk. The word feels so heavy, but a part of me is relieved. I’m tired of hiding things, tired of burying who I truly am. Maybe it’s time we lay our cards on the table.
Dante rubs his palms together nervously, something I haven’t seen him do before. He looks uncertain, which is strange, because Dante Bellacino rarely looks anything but confident.
“Eva,” he begins, “I want you in my life. I know we have a lot stacked against us. My family. Your family. Your reservations about what I do, who I am.” He hesitates for a second before continuing. “But I can’t just let you walk away without trying.”
My eyes sting, fighting back tears. “Dante,” I whisper, my heart twisting at the sincerity in his tone. “I don’t think it’s as simple as me wanting or not wanting you in my life. You saw how your family treated me.”
He closes his eyes, nodding. “I did. And I’m sorry. I won’t pretend they’re suddenly going to turn into saints. But I can and I will protect you from them.”
“But can you protect me from all of it?” My voice trembles. “From Linda’s cruel comments, from Luca’s belittling and Sarah’s condescension, from the entire mafia spotlight that might catch on to who I really am.” I stop myself, heart pounding. “You still don’t know everything about me.”
He meets my gaze, a fierce protectiveness in his eyes. “I know enough to realize you’re in danger if the wrong people find out you’re still alive.”
My throat tightens. I know he’s right. “That’s not the only reason I tried to leave.” I rest a hand over my abdomen. “I’m also still trying to process this pregnancy.”
Dante leans closer. “It’s my child too, Eva.” He swallows hard. “And I swear to you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe.”
Tears threaten to fall, but I blink them away, lifting my chin. “You keep saying that, Dante, and I believe you, but what does that even look like?”
He leans back, exhaling sharply. “I don’t have all the answers yet, but I promise you, I will figure it out.”
“It’s just so complicated. This goes way beyond boss knocks up employee. This is about who I really am and what it means. A Petrov having a Bellacino baby.”
He nods grimly. “We’ll deal with that. My mother, ironically, might be an ally there. She has her regrets about the war. If we keep your identity under wraps throughout the pregnancy, by the time anyone suspects, you’ll already be under my protection—our protection.”
I study his face. He’s always so powerful, so unstoppable, but now he seems vulnerable and raw, offering me a choice.
Finally, I clear my throat. “You’re asking me to trust that you’ll keep me and our baby safe, no matter what. Am I correct?”
He meets my gaze, unwavering. “That’s exactly what I’m asking. And the best way to start the process is for you to move in with me.”
I let out a shaky breath. My mind reels at the thought of living in his penthouse. But the alternative—running away pregnant and alone—terrifies me more than anything. I have to admit, a part of me wants to be near Dante, especially now. I can’t deny how I feel about him, how my heart aches when he’s not around.
I brush a tear off my cheek. “Okay,” I say softly. “I’ll do it. But I’m not promising anything beyond that. We’ll see how this goes, day by day.”
Relief flashes across his features. “That’s all I ask. A chance.”
He moves and sits beside me, lightly brushing his fingers against my arm. “One more thing… I can’t promise everything will be perfect. It won’t be. We’ll have fights. My mother will meddle. Linda will pop up like a bad rash. But I can promise I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and our child.”
Warmth spreads through me at the way he says our child. I rest my head on his shoulder, just for a moment, letting the tension ease.
“I never expected this, you know. I didn’t plan on… well, any of it.”
His arm wraps around me gently. “Me either,” he admits. “But here we are. And I’m not going to let you face it alone.”
I close my eyes, a swirl of anxiety, relief, and something dangerously close to happiness rushing through me. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Seriously.”
He drops a soft kiss on the top of my head. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
Eventually, the limo slows, pulling up to my apartment building. I blink, realizing how late it is and how exhausted I am. Dante looks at me. “Do you want me to come up? We can talk more or I can wait.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll need to start gathering my things soon for your place. Might as well get some rest tonight. We can start making plans tomorrow.”
His lips curl into a smile. “Tomorrow, then.”
Before I lose my nerve, I lean forward and press a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Stepping out of the limo, I pause on the sidewalk, the evening air brisk. I watch him through the open door, his eyes full of promise.
“Good night, Eva,” he says.
The door closes. I stand on the sidewalk with my arms wrapped around myself as I watch the limo pull away. My heart throbs with an odd mixture of nerves and cautious hope.
I’m not alone anymore.
I head inside, thoughts spinning about the enormous step I’m about to take. Moving in with Dante and continuing to work for him, all while pregnant with his child and harboring the biggest secret of my life is terrifying. But for the first time in a long time, it doesn’t feel impossible.
Dante has promised to protect me and our child from his dark world.
That has to count for something.
